Science is not "proven" in an absolute, final sense; rather, it is deemed reliable through the scientific method, which relies on falsifiable hypotheses, rigorous experimentation, and evidence. Theories are supported by consistent, reproducible results across many studies, building a consensus that represents the best current understanding of the natural world.
Evidence and Testing: Scientific ideas must be tested against the natural world, allowing for potential disproof (falsifiability).
Replication: An experiment must be repeatable by others to confirm the results, reducing errors or fraud.
Peer Review: Research is reviewed by independent experts, ensuring it meets scientific standards before publication.
Consensus: When many independent studies reach similar conclusions, confidence in the findings increases.
Progressive Refinement: Science is an ongoing process of updating theories as new, better evidence becomes available.
Instead of 100% proof, science provides overwhelming, verifiable evidence that makes certain theories highly reliable.
3. Repeatability & Peer Review
No single experiment "proves" a result. Science relies on a global community to verify findings:
- Reproduction: Other independent scientists must be able to run the same experiment and get the same results.
- Peer Review: Before research is published, experts in the field scrutinize the methods and data for flaws.
- Consensus: When many different studies using different methods all point to the same conclusion, it becomes an "established fact" or "scientific consensus".
4. Self-Correction
Science is designed to be tentative. If new, better evidence comes along that contradicts a previous theory, the theory is updated or replaced. This is a feature, not a bug; it's how science gets closer and closer to a more accurate model of the universe.
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